"Two months in. She said she wanted to show appreciation for my hard work. That AUREYA didn't value me enough but she did."
"How much?"
"Fifty thousand won at first. Just handed to me in an envelope. Said it was a gift."
"And you took it."
"Yes. I needed it. My mother's medical bills. Rent. I was barely surviving on my dancer salary."
Manager Park's expression was unreadable.
"What did she want in return?"
"At first? Nothing. Just said she wanted to help. That successful people should support talented people."
Jihoon's hands trembled slightly.
"But then she started asking questions. Small ones. When did Haejin arrive? When did he leave? What was his mood like?"
"You answered."
"Yes. It seemed harmless. Just small talk."
"When did it escalate?"
"About six months ago. She asked if I could help her with something. Said she needed to understand personnel systems better. That she was trying to improve efficiency."
Manager Park went very still.
"What did she ask you to do?"
